“And, that I may not be instilled in the greatness of the revelations, a thorn was put in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to slap me, unless I am exalted. At this point, I asked the Lord three times to keep him away. Then he said unto me, Put down my grace, for power is fulfilled in weakness; therefore, I will gladly glor glory in more weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me; therefore, I am pleased with weaknesses, insults, needs, persecutions, anxieties, for the love of Christ, why, when I am weak, am I strong?(2 Co 12: 7-10)
The church of Corinth, manipulated by false teachers, found Paul’s preaching without eloquence (we would say today, without fire). Did you find a good sermon just because it affected your feelings?
- In 2 Corinthians.
- Paul defends his apostolic ministry against these false teachers.
- Then he comes to these verses in chapter 12.
- Speaking of the great revelations he has received; However.
- So that Paul will not be proud or boasting.
- God has sent him a sting.
- In the flesh so that he may not be exalted.
Paul then prays that the thorn may be taken from him and that God will answer his prayer, but not in the way he expected, just as the Father responded to the Son in Gethsemane by sending an angel to comfort him, but not to pass the cup.
This thorn was God’s response for Paul to understand that he was only an instrument of God and nothing else, so that he could recognize the power of God in the midst of weakness.
With this, Paul learned to enjoy the needs. Something so contrary to the modern mentality of enjoying money, comfort and abundance, but do we appreciate the needs?
And know: God will not necessarily take away his thorn, perhaps you will die with him. But this thorn will be an instrument of God in your life for you to say, “Whom do I have in heaven besides you?And there is no one on earth who wants except thee” (Psalm 73:25), so you can say, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
It is important that Christ grows up and that you diminish and that you are an instrument in God’s hands and nothing else.
By: Geremias Couto. Préché on 02/07/13, in the XV Christian Consciousness (VINACC). Copyright © 2013 Christian Consciousness. Website: http://www. conscienciacrista. org. br/.
Summary by: Let’s Go Back to the Gospel. Original: Geremias Couto? An instrument in God’s hands and nothing else – 15CC
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